Microsoft Teams Deployment and auto-start disable configuration

I am working on MS Teams packages. I need to put some points in front of you guys before you design team deployment in your organization because if we want to change something  in package after deployment. It’s not going to be easy because

Teams application installing file under ALLUSERSPROFILES and cleanup of MS teams not going to easy from users profile.

Microsoft teams has provided EXE and MSI installer. Here MS has given 32 bit and 64 bit MSI file for deployment and i opt  MSI installer for creating package.

Prerequisite

Target computer requirements must be

• .NET framework 4.5 or later
• Windows 7 or later
• 3 GB of disk space for each user profile (recommended)

Microsoft says here “The architecture (32-bit vs. 64-bit) of Microsoft Teams is agnostic to the architecture of Windows and Office that is installed.”

It means teams software is not dependent of Office version architecture installed on machine weather it installed 32 bit or 64 bit. You can install 32 bit or 64 bit teams as per your organization convenience.

I have done some research on this options and found for safer side we should install 32 bit teams on 32 office and 64 bit teams on 64 bit office suite because we have some plugin’s and it may be affect if we will install 64 bit teams over 32 bit office suite. Example like Avaya, SmartView, AFO.

MS forum discussion for 32 bit and 64 bit

https://techcommunity.microsoft.com/t5/Microsoft-Teams/32-or-64-bit/td-p/33318

Here We have written a logic in wrapper master script.

We are installing Teams MSI file as per the office architecture is installed on the local machines. If 32 bit office has installed then it will be install 32 bit teams and if office is 64 bit then it will install 64 bit teams.

For office 365 deduction in local machine. I are checking “HKLM\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Office\ClickToRun\Configuration” platform value .All the office 365 suite has this registry value in the system. In case this key is not available because of XYZ reason so master wrapper script will by default install 32 bit team MSI on the machines. After installation machine need to reboot or log off for launching  the teams .it starts automatically once user login in to the machine.

Auto update

Clients are currently updated automatically by the Microsoft Teams service with no IT administrator intervention required.

If an update is available, the client will automatically download the update and when the app has idled for a period of time, the update process will begin.

Desktop shortcut

Team is putting shortcut on desktop after rebooting or log-off the machine and it’s on user profile desktop so we cannot delete it from VBS. May be one more desktop shortcuts on SBD machines.

VDI Environment 

    MS recommend the 64-bit version for a VDI VM on 64-bit operating system.

Here we have to install 64 bit teams on 32 bit office suite. I have created different master script for VDI machine which will deduct OS version and install the teams msi as per the architecture of the machine.

   More info here on VDI machine.

   https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/microsoftteams/msi-deployment

One more this we are getting two Add and Remove program Entry after installation Team from MSI file..

Deployment link from MS

https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/microsoftteams/msi-deployment

How to Disable AutoStart permanently while every time user login

Here is my comments for Teams auto launch. Microsoft has provided the property to disable Teams auto launch only for first time login.

Once users has launch Teams manually from desktop then after every login it will launch automatically like skype because it made change on users level after first launch.

https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/microsoftteams/msi-deployment

There is two way to disable the AutoStart.

1.  User can disable there self from general settings after first launch.

2.  We can create new VB Script\powersehll and second different deployment. As we know this is users related         setting once users launch the Teams from his profile so it will make two change in system on users level.One is HKCU(HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Run)  registry. That’s why it launch every time. This registry need to deleted from script.

Second entry create in %AppData%\Roaming\Microsoft\Teams profile in JASON file. We need to change Jason file below vale false.

This VBS\powershell we can deploy from SCCM once USER is login because you have to apply on user level.

Power shell to change team jason file value form Justin.

We wrote a powershell script to edit the json file directly:

$path = “$env:appdata\Microsoft\Teams\desktop-config.json”

$configarray = Get-Content $path | ConvertFrom-Json

$configarray.appPreferenceSettings.openAtLogin = ‘false’

Set-Content $path ($configarray | ConvertTo-Json)

You can refer a very good link also for detail discussion on auto-start.

https://www.lync.se/2018/04/stop-microsoft-teams-auto-start/ 

How to share\Copy ISO,EXE,Software files in VM Hyper-v machine from local host machine

If you are working on Hyper-V Lab machines or you have created your own lab for any infra related work and development purpose. Some of the scenario you face issue to copy data from host to Hyper-v machines.

you want to copy ISO file, Office packages, SAP Application and any other data from host machine to  Hyper-V machine .Here is the step you can  follow .I hope it will work.

1. Open Run ( Win+r )  or type the command  Diskmgmt.msc

  

2.   Now go to Action tab and Create VHD 

3. Now browses the path in your machine where you want to keep VSD EX C:\Dir1

4. You can assign the space like 20 GB or 50GB as per your availability .It support up 2040 GB .

5. Check virtual hard disk size format VHD and click OK Button

Now create simple volume to mount  VHD

1. Now open Diskmgmt.msc and  you can see new disk.
2. The Initialize Disk window will automatically appears, select a partition style for the disk and click Ok.
3. Select MBR Partition 

    4.   Right Click on the disk and choose New Simple Volume, when the volume wizard opened just                click Next to continue and put the value and  select the default option and click on finish.

       If disk is offline just right click and make it on line

      Now you can see the volume is creates in your host machine.

Just copy your data into disk what ever you want to transfer into VM and you can attached the VHD disk into the VM hyper-v machine.

How to connect to VHD disk into Hyper v machine

• Open Hyper-v Manager in your host machine
• Select the Virtual Machine that you would like to attach a virtual disk(VHD)
• Click in Settings from the right side.

• Click in SCSI Controller from the left side
• Select Hard drive and click Add

• Click Browse (VHD)and find the virtual disk that you would like to attach
• Click OK

Now you see the new drive in your VM machines.

More info you can see below link.

https://www.tactig.com/create-mount-vhd-windows-server-2016-windows-10/

Power shell and .vbs to get machine OU details from AD

You can get the machine name OU Details from using below command and VB script

Power-Shell

([adsisearcher]"(&(name=$env:computername)(objectClass=computer))").findall().path

VB Script (save below command in.vbs Fotomat)

########################################################################

On Error Resume Next

Set WshNetwork = CreateObject("WScript.Network")
ComputerName = WshNetwork.ComputerName

Set objADSysInfo = CreateObject("ADSystemInfo")
strComputerName = objADSysInfo.ComputerName

Set objComputer = GetObject("LDAP://" & strComputerName)
strOUName = objComputer.DistinguishedName
strOUs = Split(strOUName, ",")
MsgBox strOUs(2)
MsgBox strOUs(1)
strOU = Split(strOUs(2), "=")

#######################################################################

Get computer name from hard disk or Slave Drive

Suppose you have  situation where you have detach hard drive and you want to know the computer name without inserting in computer .Here is the steps you can follow.or you have old hard drive into the new PC and want to know the PC name so you can rejoin the domain.
Please follow  the steps here.


connect your hard disk by cable in your test machine or you already inserted disk in PC.Both the conditions please below steps.

1. Open Regedit on the lab system from RUN window and Go to file option in menu and click on load hive.
2. Please enter the name like Mymachine
3. Navigate to below path
    SystemDrive:\Windows\System32\config\  and browse the System file.
4. Now navigate the hive  HKLM

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\ControlSet001\Control\ComputerName\ComputerName

 Hope this info will help some one...

  

Set up A Hyper-v virtual switch using a NAT network from power shell

This blog totally  inspire from https://www.thomasmaurer.ch/

You can find more info here.

https://www.thomasmaurer.ch/2016/05/set-up-a-hyper-v-virtual-switch-using-a-nat-network/

I am not good to understand the IP address world so just making a simple note for my self and other guys like me.

Please follow the below steps to get the internet access in your VM machine

1. Create a new Hyper-V Virtual Switch

      New-VMSwitch –SwitchName "ViaMonstraNAT" –SwitchType Internal

2.  Configure the NAT Gateway IP Address

     New-NetIPAddress –IPAddress 172.21.21.1 -PrefixLength 24 -InterfaceAlias "vEthernet (ViaMonstraNAT)"

3. Now you can configure the NAT rule

     New-NetNat –Name ViaMonstraNATNetwork –InternalIPInterfaceAddressPrefix 172.21.21.0/24

     Use IP Address in VM host namchine from 172.21.21.2-172.21.21.254.

Here is IP address configuration we apply in VM host machine

    Host Machine, running Windows 10 1703 build
    IP Address – 172.21.21.1
    Subnet Mask – 255.255.255.0

Host VM, running Windows Server 2012 R2

   IP Address – 172.21.21.2

   Subnet Mask – 255.255.255.0

   Default Gateway – 172.21.21.1

   Preferred DNS Server – 8.8.8.8

Prefer IP Address Example:

MSIX Packaging

Format-Table function in Power -Shell ..

Very impotent function of power shell is Format-Table.You can get the data in table format.Here is some example is  .

1.  Get-Process | Format-Table

2.  Get-Process | Format-Table -AutoSize

     The AutoSize parameter adjusts the column widths to minimize spacing.

3.  Get-Process | Sort-Object -Property basepriority | Format-Table -GroupBy basepriority -Wrap

The GroupBy parameter arranges the data about the processes into groups based on the value of their BasePriority property

4.  Get-Process -Name powershell | Format-List -Property ProcessName,FileVersion

The Format-List cmdlet displays an object in the form of a listing, with each property labeled and displayed on a separate line:

5.  Get-pssnapin | format-table -wrap

6.  You can export Format-Table in Format-Table.txt.

    $Proc = Get-Process | Format-Table -AutoSize

    $Proc | Format-Table Name | Out-File c:\temp\ Format-Table.txt

Power-shell to Copy file from directories with today's date to another location (Using ROBOCOPY.exe)

I have developed the power shell to copy your data from one location to another location with the help of windows inbuilt  ROBOCOPY utility.This logic help you to copy data from one location to another locations.

I Hope this will help you..

################################################################################

$Script:sScriptFolder = (Get-Item $($MyInvocation.MyCommand.Path)).DirectoryName

$Script:sSystemDrive = "$Env:SystemDrive"

$sVDIMSTName1 = Get-Content "c:\SWKSoftware\VDIComputers.txt"

$sgetDateTime =  Get-Date -Format g

                    

                    $strSourcePath = "C:\Temp\Dir1\"      # Enter your source Dir path here

                    $sDestinationPath = "C:\Temp\Dir2\"  # Enter your Destination Dir path here

                    

                    If ((Test-Path -Path $strSourcePath) -AND (Test-Path -Path $sDestinationPath)) 

                    {

                        #Copy-Item "$strSourcePath\*.*" -Destination "$destinationPath" -Force -Recurse

                        $sScrParentFolder = split-Path -path $strSourcePath -Leaf

                        #$sgetDateTime =  Get-Date -Format s

                        $sgetDateTime1 = $(get-date -f yyyyMMdd_HH-mm-ss)

                        

                        $sDateTimeFolderName =  $sScrParentFolder + "-" + $sgetDateTime1

                        

                        

                        $sDestinationPath = New-Item -ItemType Directory -Path "$sDestinationPath\$sDateTimeFolderName"

                        

                   

                        ROBOCOPY.EXE $strSourcePath $sDestinationPath /COPYALL /B /SEC /MIR /R:0 /W:0 /NFL /NDL

} 

                    Else 

                    {

                        Write-host " Source or Destination is not reachable or does not exist..."

                    }

################################################################################

Note:- Please test script in your test environment before running in production directly.

Step by step guide for creating google windows cloud machine on - https://cloud.google.com

Google Launch the cloud platform to create your VM machine on cloud. Its going to make big change in infra landscape and big competitor for Amazon (AWS) and  Microsoft(Azure).Google always think about consumer .

Here you can see how to create google cloud windows machine and take RDP from your machine.

Login https://cloud.google.com from your Gmail ID. You have to enter your credit card detail for make sure you are authentic user. Google is giving 300$ for one free for free trail so it will not deduct any amount of money

Until you will not upgrade it manually. This is the cheapest services on cloud.

Once you have done with credit card details.

1. Lets connect Console.

2.  Once you are connected.Please enable Computing Engine  and search top VMINSTANT in search bar

3.  Then Click on Create Button.

4.   Now you can see below form and give your first VM name in small letter and select in which      region you want to create VM .I am selection Europe and select your VM configuration, Machine   type, Memory.

5. Select boot media which operating system you want opt .I have select Windows server 2016 .Please click change button 

6. Scroll down to find your OS boot media and select click on select button.

7.  Access scope  should be Allows HTTPS  Traffic  and create your VM. Once you hit select button .It starting a creating VM in background and magic of GOOGLE. Its create within 1 minutes 

8.   Now you can see your first VM machine.

9. Take RDP Google Cloud test machine.select set windows Password .Please copy you user name password .

 10. Click on your machine and select the RDP option and .It will not show again.

11. Double click on RDP session

12. Enter you user name password 

13.  Press yes again for certificate 

14 Enjoy your VM experience with google  😊

Thanks for viewing. I hope it will help you.More configuration you can visit belong google links

Links :

https://cloud.google.com/compute/docs/quickstart-windows

https://cloud.google.com/compute/docs/quickstart-linux

Prizing on AWS,Google,Azure

https://www.rightscale.com/blog/cloud-cost-analysis/aws-vs-azure-vs-google-cloud-pricing-compute-instances

How to Get windows Operating System Details with PowerShell

Here is the some command to get the windows system info from Power-Shell scripts.

windows 10 name, architecture, operating system

  $sOSName = (Get-WMIObject win32_operatingsystem).name
  Write-Host "OS NAME = $sOSName " -ForegroundColor Green `n

  $sOSArchitecture = (Get-WmiObject Win32_OperatingSystem).OSArchitecture
  Write-Host "OS Architecture = $sOSArchitecture " -ForegroundColor Yellow `n

  $sSystemName = (Get-WmiObject Win32_OperatingSystem).CSName
  Write-Host "System Name = $sSystemName " -ForegroundColor Red `n

1. Get-WmiObject -Class Win32_ComputerSystem
    Get-CimInstance Win32_OperatingSystem -ComputerName dc1, dc2

2.  Get-CimInstance Win32_OperatingSystem | Select-Object Caption, Version,                 ServicePackMajorVersion, OSArchitecture, CSName, WindowsDire

     All computer Info
3.  Get-ComputerInfo -Property "os*"

   Listing BIOS Information

 4. Get-CimInstance -ClassName Win32_BIOS

5. Hot Fix Installed in windows machine.

Get-WmiObject -Class Win32_QuickFixEngineering

6. Get-CimInstance Win32_OperatingSystem | Select-Object  Caption, InstallDate,  ServicePackMajorVersion, OSArchitecture, BootDevice,  BuildNumber, CSName | FL

Note:- Please test script in your test environment before running in production directly.